MANHUNT - Killers Escape

"Two killers on the run after remarkable escape from maximum security" PBS NewsHour 6/8/2015

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  In upstate New York, two prisoners from the state's largest maximum security prison were discovered missing Saturday.  Since then, police have swept the town and countryside, searching for the two convicted murdered who cut through cement walls and steel gratings to emerge from a manhole outside the prison's walls.  William Brangham talks to Jesse McKinley of The New York Times.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  An intensive manhunt continued in Upstate New York today, after two prisoners were discovered missing Saturday from the state’s largest maximum security prison, following a remarkable escape that stunned the authorities.

William is back with that story.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (NewsHour):  Police continue to sweep the town and countryside surrounding Dannemora Prison, searching for two convicted murders who cut through cement walls and steel pipes, then eventually emerged through a manhole outside the prison’s walls, about a block away.

Richard Matt kidnapped, killed and dismembered a man in 1997.  David Sweat killed a sheriff’s deputy in 2002, shooting him more than a dozen times.  Over the weekend, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo toured the prison and talked about the breakout.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, New York:  This is the first escape from the maximum security portion of the institution ever since 1865.  So, by definition, it was an extraordinary act.

And when you look at how it was done, it was extraordinary.  I mean, we went through the tunnels.  You look at the precision of the operation, it was truly extraordinary.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:  For the latest, we’re joined by Jesse McKinley, who has been reporting on the break for The New York Times, and joins me from Dannemora, New York.

Jesse, thank you very much for being here.

We have this enormous manhunt under way.  Tell us where this latest — where it stands right now.  Given how long ago these men broke out, this has got to be a huge search area.

JESSE MCKINLEY, The New York Times:  Yes, this is day three of this.

And according to the state authorities, at this point, there are about 300 officers involved.  And according to the governor of the state of New York, Andrew Cuomo, this could be a national — nationwide search.

Initially, of course, they were interested in the area around this prison, which is just to my right here, but at this point, it’s expanded beyond the borders of the state, potentially to Canada.  Mexican authorities have been alerted, as have officials in the Southwest, where one of the suspects, Richard Matt, was believed to have taken refuge at one point.